The purpose of The Great Workplace 2.0™ is simple: while it is happening, show core changes in great workplaces, so that start-ups, small and mid-size companies, can extract the principles that other companies are discovering. By example, grow in a healthy and sustainable fashion; return to our economy great dividends of revenue, value and innovation.

Regardless of what Human Resource professionals tell their superiors, they can’t and don’t read and truly consider all of them. Work Is Good ® has a unique insight into what Human Resource professionals actually do in responding to applications through ads, internet, help-wanted signs and social media. We will give you an idea of what happens behind the scenes, then offer advice on how to deal with it:
Most resumes are not read as they arrive (instantly). Most HR folks have been trained to carve out “Resume Time” during the day (or week), unless the position opening has some urgency.
If the response to a job listing produces about 40 documents in a week (or day), HR won’t read more than the “Obvious Fits”. “Obvious Fit” means the following: Well laid out format (someone took the time to produce a “classic” document), key words that stand out on the resume (or cover ... read more →

Don’t “Self-Reject”
You saw a great job on your favorite job board. But, you don’t have everything that the company is asking for. You have some of it, but not all…. should you bother applying? When looking for a new career opportunity, one of the hardest things to do is to be creative, think outside the box, take a risk. As a seasoned job search counselor, I have had to help many of my clients deal with “self rejection”. This behavior causes the job hunter to pass up on opportunities that might very well lead to their next job.
Do you like to be rejected? Do you like to fail? Do you like to be “turned down”? The answer? In the words of my teenage children, “Duh, um no!” (Note: the words “duh” and “no” must be spoken with appropriate inflection…). Since basic human nature causes us to avoid rejection, especially ... read more →

Over the next several weeks, The Great Workplace.com is going to introduce North East Ohio to a new set of standards for organizations striving to become noted as a Great Place To Work, or as we call it, The Great Workplace 2.0: Each article will give you an in-depth view of the results of 3 years of research into what The Great Workplace MANAGERS and OWNERS believe and know make their organization special. We are NOT talking about the Fortune 100 companies or the High-Tech companies who have become synonymous with "Corporate Benefit Give-A-Ways", we are showing you ideas that YOU can duplicate in your own company: principles and actions that can be applied in start-ups, old-line companies, and organizations who simply know that "something needs to change".
Let’s cut to the chase: the discoverable attributes of The Great Workplace of today and tomorrow have been right under our noses for ... read more →

The state of Ohio mines nearly 4,000,000 tons of salt a year! That’s incredible. As a matter of fact, salt was the first mineral to be mined in the state. Data shows that back in the 1700’s, early frontiersman made salt at natural springs in the Southern Ohio area, and to catch you up1 to speed with the importance of salt…it was used by ancient societies as a form of money! Actually the word salary is derived from the Latin word salarium, which is defined as “salt allowance.”
How about the fact that the two active salt rock operations in Ohio are both located in North East Ohio? Yup, Fairport Harbor and Cleveland. Ohio Salt Mines are the third largest producer of the precious mineral in the entire country, yet this underground world deep under Lake Erie’s lake-floor is a universe where a galaxy of miners are unknown to so ... read more →

Why The Platinum Rule for Small Business Mastery Was Written
The Platinum Rule for Small Business Mastery was written for business owners and managers who want to get more control over their businesses and achieve more balance in their personal lives. The Platinum Rule helps you, the business owner, understand how and why employees, customers and associates behave the way they do. It also teaches you to how to adapt your behavior around each of them to achieve the most effective results; lowering interpersonal tension while increasing cooperation. Stated a different way: Your success is 100% dependent on how well you coach, counsel, motivate, influence, and inspire others to take action!
The book came about because of two reasons. I did a business conference for years that invited successful business owners to tell us what they did to be successful. That is where the 12 areas came from. Once I understood the ... read more →

About 5 years ago a plethora of articles appeared and books were written about the coming “Talent Crisis”. Baby Boomers were finally going to retire from those coveted jobs at the top and make room for the younger generations who were waiting on their couches and in their coffee shops to move up to even HIGHER salaries, fewer (if that is possible) hours and bigger (again, if that is possible) perks. And…American businesses were going to feel a real lack of top talent.
Now….our retirement funds have been decimated by the greedy and we have to continue working. Our health is great (we finally got the message) so we not only have to stick around, but we are able to work better and smarter. And unfortunately for you, we still have the top jobs where we make policies and decide the fates of other workers. Unfair? Completely. Just as unfair as ... read more →